The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday tendered an unreserved apology to Nigerians, admitting that it made mistakes in the past.
The party added that it is repositioning to bounce back in 2019 and deliver dividends of democracy to the people. The chairman of PDP national conference organising committee, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, stated this in Abuja yesterday.
According to him, the first mistake PDP made was the jettisoning zoning in 2011. Dokpesi noted that following the death of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua who died in power, PDP would have allowed a Northerner to complete his tenure. But the PDP had fielded former President Goodluck Jonathan from the South, who was acting President, as its presidential candidate in 2011.
He said, “Make no mistake, the PDP is aware that there were errors made along the way. We admit that at certain times in our past, mistakes have been made, we did not meet the expectations of Nigerians. We tender apology. But the past is exactly what it is. We call on all party faithful, supporters and sympathisers to partner with us going forward.
“You asked about the mistakes the party made. The Ekweremadu’s report is very explicit on that. It acknowledged the fact that the party made a lot of strides during the last 16 years, but also, there was no internal democracy; there was impunity within the party. There was no level playing ground for members of the party.
“The zoning principles of the party were abandoned and a gamut of all other issues which will come up during the conference. And for all these and for the people who have been offended, for people whose toes were stepped upon, we tender unreserved apology.
